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LaLiga: All the latest transfer rumours including Cristiano Ronaldo, Batshuayi, Guedes and Icardi
Aside from the Philippe Coutinho deal, the January transfer window is yet to truly get rolling. With Alexis Sanchez the next big name to move it could spark a domino effect across Europe’s big leagues. Is Cristiano Ronaldo ready for a move back to England? Will Icardi replace him? Could Arsenal replace Sanchez with Guedes? The answers to those questions – and more – can be found here.
Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United
Is anybody else suffering from déjà vu? There was a report in yesterday’s AS which claims that Cristiano Ronaldo is unhappy at Real Madrid. He’s even told his teammates he’s off in the summer. Where to, you ask? Why Manchester United of course. Unfortunately for him, it appears United are more interested in bringing in Alexis Sanchez than their former golden boy from Portugal.
Whenever these stories come out, it feels like they lose a little more credibility. Almost like ‘The Boy who Cried Wolf’. The first time we were all left in shock at the possibility of Cristiano leaving Real Madrid. But now, after the third or fourth version of it, the impact is wearing thin. And while Cristiano might be a marketing machine, on a purely footballing level, a move doesn’t make sense for United.
Let’s play the devil’s advocate and say there’s an element of truth to this latest report. Real Madrid would demand over €100m and the player somewhere in the ballpark of €50m per year. Even for a club as rich as United, where’s the potential return for their investment? If it doesn’t work out you could maybe get around €60m from a Chinese Super League team. But, again, would Cristiano go and play there? I seriously doubt it.
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And away from the number-crunching of asking price and wages, would Cristiano add a lot to this team? His domestic form this season is way below his usual high standard, scoring just four goals. And he’s no longer capable of being the devastating winger so many United fans remember him as. In terms of the striker position, United have Lukaku, Martial and Rashford who can play there. Two of those three are TEN years younger than Cristiano. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will probably be let go in the summer too.
It feels more like wishful thinking on the part of Cristiano, or those around him, to suggest United would make a move. Aside from the nostalgia factor, Cristiano is noticeably slowing down. He could shine in a more protective system, for sure, but enough to justify the cost it’d take to make it happen? I seriously doubt it. Instead of him complaining about unhappiness and broken promises, why not work harder on turning around the situation at the club which currently pays his wages?
Chances of it happening: 1/5
Michy Batshuayi to Sevilla
Sevilla’s season is slowly unravelling and January is the perfect opportunity to refresh their squad. Vincenzo Montella is the man in the dugout now but he’s overseen two losses in his first two LaLiga games in charge. This caused some of Sevilla’s most passionate fans to demand answers from players as they made their way to training yesterday. Tension is growing.
Their first-choice transfer target is Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi. The Belgian striker continues to find it a hard slog to get regular minutes at Stamford Bridge and wants a move away this month. Sevilla see him as their ‘new Stevan Jovatic’ who could ignite a season which is slowly petering out. Batshuayi needs a platform to prove himself and Sevilla require a striker to lead the team for the final six months. On paper, it sounds like a perfect match.
According to ‘Estadio Deportivo’ an agreement between the player and Sevilla is in place. It’s now up to Chelsea to either confirm or cancel the deal. It appears that Chelsea are happy to see Batshuayi leave on a six-month deal but want to secure a replacement first. This maybe explains their late interest in Alexis Sanchez. In Spain they also think Chelsea want Andy Carroll, who could turn into a Plan B for Sevilla if Batshuayi doesn’t happen.
Chances of it happening: 3.5/5
Goncalo Guedes to Arsenal
It isn’t a good time to be an Arsenal fan right now. Alexis Sanchez is practically out of the door and questions remain over Mesut Ozil’s future too. However, if Arsenal manage to secure the signature of Goncalo Guedes ahead of everyone else then they might not feel the loss of Sanchez that much.
Guedes has been one of the star performers in this season’s LaLiga. After being stockpiled by PSG and then being underutilised, we’re finally seeing what the Portuguese winger is capable of at Valencia. Close touch control, power, pace, and with an eye for a goal. He’s the complete package and with each passing week appears to add an extra few million to his asking price. This is good news for PSG but less so for Valencia’s chances of retaining him.
A new name added to the list of potential suitors is Arsene Wenger’s team. Perhaps due to the impending exit of Sanchez, and doubts over Bordeaux’s Malcom, Guedes would be a much smarter investment. The signs are that he won’t come cheap but even €70m seems like a fair deal. If Arsenal want to show they are serious about fighting for titles, someone like Guedes could be the catalyst their need to kick-start a new era.
Chances of it happening: 2/5
Mauro Icardi to Real Madrid
Over in Italy, they feel they know who Real Madrid are looking towards to solve their goalscoring problems: Mauro Icardi. The Argentinian striker is one of the most consistent front men in Serie A, scoring 15+ goals in three of his last four seasons at the club. This year sees him sat on 18 goals at the half-way stage and he’ll be looking to break the 20-goal barrier once again.
On Corriere dello Sport’s front page it says Real Madrid are ready to pay the €110m release clause in Icardi’s contract. Madrid are hopeful of securing a deal this month and Icardi could be added to their Champions League squad too. For the player, playing for such a big club and in the Champions League, could help his World Cup chances.
Losing someone as important as Icardi would be a major blow to Inter’s ambitious plans. However, if Madrid match the striker’s release clause there’s nothing they can do to stop it. Could Icardi be a long-term replacement for ‘wantaway’ Cristiano? The odds are it would most likely be Karim Benzema who misses out in the starting XI.
Chances of it happening: 3/5
Pau Lopez to Juventus
The former Tottenham Hotspur loanee, Pau Lopez, is a wanted man in Italy. The Spanish stopper is available on a free transfer this summer and has plenty of options on the table. At present, it doesn’t appear like Spurs will make a move for Lopez again after a year-long loan last season. The keeper didn’t make a single appearance for the first team and they’ve since brought in Paulo Gazzaniga for a similar backup role.
However both Napoli and Juventus are looking to replace their golden oldies between the sticks. Pepe Reina will be 36 by the start of next season and the legendary Gianluigi Buffon turns 40 this month. While Lopez isn’t the first choice to replace either man he could provide an able back-up to those who do. And on a free transfer, what is there to lose?
The chance to fight for the number one spot at a big Italian side might be too good to turn down for Lopez, who looks increasingly likely to leave Espanyol. And, if it didn’t work out, he could move back to Spain in a year or two as they’ll still be interest in him.
